MLPTFF - First Love
by pen.charmer.13
Summary: The third episode of my TFF series. Describes the life of Filigree Flyer and his attempts at trying to woo somepony he might never have for life, and bounces back with the help of a select three. Rated T for darker themes.
1. Chapter 1 - A Meeting

Chapter One: A Meeting

_Hey everyone! Pen Charmer is back yet again to chronicle another storyline in The Fan Fiction series. This time, it's gonna have more drama, more love, and more sanity slips – wait, that wasn't in the last one. That aside, it's essentially a Hurt/Comfort story detailing events set about a year after A Canterlot Wedding (while adding 'excerpts' from events before and during the event). The episode itself, however, is set about a week after my previous work. RRFFE everyone!_

* * *

It's been a year since I graduated from the Canterlot Royal Academy, and so far my success is skyrocketing. I don't know how or why this happened, but so many ponies seem to have favored my discovery of time equalization. Honestly, it's nothing more than a bunch of equations that, when amplified, can basically alter time itself to become even and totally equal down to the seventh decimal point. I don't see whether or not this would benefit anypony at all, but nevertheless I have been received as a genius.

A month has gone by after that and I'd receive wind of a grand wedding being arranged at Canterlot, with the groom being the head of the Royal Guard, Shining Armour – who also turns out to be Twilight's sibling – and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza…also known as…Cadence.

Nearly half a decade has gone by and now I have finally found the answer to my question. Cadence was, in fact, still alive, and she's now getting married. Why don't I approve of this? She'd been my best friend long before I entered the Academy, and I never had any feelings for her back then. But now…why does it come to haunt me? Can't love pick on someone else? My mind is often filled with questions, but I've never expected to ask myself questions like these. No mathematical equation could solve a problem like this. Therefore, I look back into time…

* * *

"Come in, quickly!" Cadence said as she opens the door. She grabbed me by the hoof and led me into her spacious dorm room. Of all the times I'd entered her room, this is the only time I'd seen it this cluttered. There were so many…mirrors. Of course, I knew what this experiment was going to be all about – geometry. There was something missing, though – where's the light source? Mere sunlight couldn't possibly bounce off all of these mirrors – let alone just _five_ – in one stream. A laser? There was none. I couldn't help but ask her.

"So, uh, Cadence…do you have a light source?"

"Yes, I do, right here," she said, her eyes pointing upward. At first glance, I couldn't see what she was talking about, until her horn glowed. Alas, there was a source.

Being my always-worried self, I asked questions. "Don't you think this is dangerous? I mean, a user-fired projectile always has a margin of error. Then, we have to put gravity, wind, and air friction into the mix. Something could go wrong," I said. Her reply was nothing but a laugh.

"Oh, don't worry," she said, ruffling my hair. "If something goes wrong, it shouldn't be a problem." She didn't tell why, but I didn't want to ask any further. Thinking about it brought some bad memories back to the front of my head.

Just then our friends had arrived. One by one, they walked to Cadence and bowed, then walked to me and bowed, and finally sat down on the large couch, laughing. I was watching closely by the target, which was merely a stuffed animal sitting on a chair. I had a good view of the mirrors, and the path was quite definite and easy to follow. Honestly, I'd never expected Cadence to be this adventurous since the day we first met, but here I was, observing the experiment. I foresaw a slight chance of failure, but, knowing Cadence, I knew that everything would be fine even if something _did_ go wrong.

About a minute later, everyone in the room was watching intently at the source point. Cadence had charged up her horn, and focused her magical energy. The moment before she fired, Luna barges into the door, causing an inaccurate misfire. Time slowed down as the beam of magic bounced off each mirror. As it nears its target, I was expecting it to hit the chair, but for some unknown reason, it hit _me_.

Then there I was, on the ground, senses on full alert. I seemed to be stunned by the impact, because I could hardly move a muscle. My hearing deteriorated over a short time, and I just blacked out. My mind was still going through everything that had happened that day, and by the time I woke up, I was surrounded by my friends.

My vision was blurry at first, but in a quarter hours' time I was back on my feet. The nurse discharged me, and advised me to rest for the afternoon. I did that, but my mind couldn't stop filling my head with only one thing: Cadence. All of those memories that I had with her were just flashed in front of me for no apparent reason. That night, I could hardly sleep until I cast a sleep spell on myself. It was a strange experience, truth be told – and it wore off the next day. I think that, concluding my research, that experience had come back to haunt me yet again. But why did it have to occur so many years after that? Was it because she was back? Or was it something I had no knowledge of? I cursed myself for existing with such an annoyingly fast brain, and made preparations to meet Cadence again.

A couple of days pass after that, and I get up from a nap to the unbearable sound of my doorbell ringing. My vision was blurry after covering my head with a pillow. I swear I didn't order any packages, nor was there any package sent to me at all. I didn't order any food, either. I opened the door, and was instantly hugged by a pink blur.

"Filigree! How I missed you!" a mare's voice said. Her voice was cheery like Pinkie, but elegant like Rarity. It was sweet like Fluttershy, but refined like Twilight. Obviously, with voices like that, it's damn impossible for anypony to know who that might be. Finally, I cleared my eyes and saw Cadence.

"Cadence," was all I could say. I didn't expect anypony to come, much less Cadence. "Come in."

I quickly tidied up the sofa I napped on, and honestly, I was embarrassed. "Sorry for the mess. I'd been busy the past days…I mean months–no, I mean _years_."

"Yes, it has been quite a while," she sighed with an air of simply posh elegance around her. Then, in a more casual tone, she said, "How's it going? You made quite a lot of ruckus in the papers."

"What, you mean time equalization? That thing's nothing but an experiment that somehow made its way to the press. I don't see anypony that could benefit from it," I said, kinda nagging. Really, time equalization is useless.

But like every other pony in Equestria, she countered me by saying, "Oh, but it _is_ useful. Don't you see that with time equalization in place, every pony in Equestria will have exactly the same time, and the clocks in every home will be correct! Now why wouldn't you see it as a benefit?"

"Because it's not needed. Time zones work equally well. In my opinion, a simple clockwork device that communicates in a centralized system could simply change a watch's time as one travels from one time zone to another. Therefore I don't see any need for a time equalization spell to alter all time zones and centralize them," I argued. This brought back lots of memories, with us locked in a battle of wits.

"But the benefit of time equalization is that it can be easily implemented. Costs can be kept to a minimum, and we would all be achieving the same effect. Just think about it, Filigree. I know you're the real genius around here, but that's all I'm saying. It's beneficial because it's already there, and it can be implemented without sacrificing resources." After her statement, there was a long moment of silence. We took glances at various things, then at each other. Suddenly, we just burst out laughing. It was like the many battles of intellect that we had at the Academy long ago.

Soon enough, we were watching the television together later that night. We were sitting there together on the sofa, just watching and laughing. Though much of the gang that we had in the Academy parted ways and went down their own paths, ours went back in time and just relished the moments. Somehow, though, I feel that Cadence and I may not be friends for much longer…


	2. Chapter 2 - The Big Day

Chapter Two: The Big Day

_Man, I'm really sorry for the long hiatus. But at least it's released, right? I hope I could make it up to all of you with this chapter._

_It's only a week before the big wedding, and the two Alicorns have now parted ways. Cadence is busy preparing for her wedding, while Filigree is busy preparing to leave Canterlot to forget about everything. What will happen between the two friends now? _

Life is moving at a rapid pace, and I've finished packing for a trip away from Canterlot. With all I've been through the night before, it seems that my infatuation for Cadence is haunting me yet again. Therefore, I must depart for a different city. Cadence is the only pony that's running through my mind, and other than that, I have nothing much to think about. Why did you have to come back, Cadence? I'd already assumed you were dead, and that was how it was for the last five years. Now, you came back into my life without even the slightest hint of lost memory. It may be easy for you, but it's the hardest thing to overcome to me. What the hay, I should have moved to a different house when I had the chance.

As I hold my bags and take a look back at my house that I'd be leaving for a while, my head begins to argue with me. He doesn't want to go anywhere; but I want to. But of course, my mind defeats my heart, and thus overwhelms me with visions of Cadence. I don't know why my own logic is trying to overcome me with thoughts of her, but all I know is that there is this urge to go to the wedding. In the end, I comply with my logic's commands, and thus set out for the castle to see Cadence one last time.

I've never hated Cadence before, but only now do I have this urge to cast her out of my life forever. Sadly, my attempts were in vain, mainly because Cadence herself is a part of my life. She's always been my friend, and in the Academy, she led me every step of the way. I was introduced to her gang of friends, and my very outlook on friendship had changed greatly. I always thought friends were a waste of time and that one would have to fight his battles alone; however, Cadence showed me and led me to realize that friends help each other and stand together to the end, and it showed as we neared our final tests. All of us passed, but our graduation day turned out to be the most devastating moment for me. All of my friends were there, except for Cadence. No one knew where she went, and no one had a clue. After that, life just went on.

I searched for Cadence for a year, bringing me all across Equestria, from Vanhoover to Baltimare. For that time I had this overwhelming urge to want to meet her yet again, but ultimately I returned home, failing my task. Rumors have been going around that Cadence originated from the Crystal Empire, a kingdom whose access is restricted only to unicorns and Alicorns, and only to the magically adept at that. It is heavily guarded by magic, and it is protected by forces so strange that science couldn't even _begin_ to describe it. I, however, am a pony of both factions, but even then, it boggles my very brain. I therefore don't bother to place my thought upon that subject.

Fast-forward a year after that, and I have gained, trained, and mastered the enigmatic art of time manipulation. This has helped me on many occasions, but even then, it is a dangerous form of magic that can and will kill those who attempt to perform it. If it falls into the wrong hooves, everything changes. Like I said, this magic is reserved only to the magically adept, I doubt that an event as disastrous as that would happen. Even then, you can never be too cautious; so, I simply cast an amnesia spell and it's a forgotten art yet again. I find it strange that I remember giving myself amnesia…

I woke up pretty early today, to see that it was the big day. It was the day I'd be going to that wedding of hers. Dammit. Oh well, at least I'll be able to fill my stomach for lunch before I leave Canterlot.

For some unknown reason, I arrived at the castle quite early. Even then, everything was set. Flowers adorned many a doorway with vibrant colors. Chairs were filed neatly in rows with a red satin carpet lining a division down the hall where a beautiful arch awaits the ponies who walk atop of it.

It was pretty early, though, so no one was there. As I headed for the Royal Library, I got to meet Celestia's protégé, Twilight Sparkle. Believe me, I haven't met the unicorn before, though I've worked closely with the princess a multitude of times.

"Hi," I said, trying to break the ice. "You headed for the library, too?"

"I'm here to keep it open," she said. "You're an early-riser. Are you from here? I don't seem to recognize you."

"I was born and raised in Canterlot…but a pony failing to recognize me is no surprise."

"Why? If you lived in Canterlot, someone should know you," she said.

"I live a life of seclusion, Twilight – something that I believe you have done, too. That is, before you moved to Ponyville. Unlike in your case, I had nopony to suggest or command me to do what they think I should do, so I lived a somewhat secret life. Before that, I was quite well known, however," I explained.

"Well-known? How?" she asked. Curiosity always seems to take the first say in many a studious pony's mind.

"If you know the name Filigree Flyer," I said, "then you know what I was famous for."

"Wait, _you're_ Filigree Flyer?!" she exclaimed, stopping and turning to face me. "You mean, you're the youngest pony to ever graduate from the Canterlot Royal Academy?!"

"Yeah, if you put it that way."

"And you're the one who mastered time manipulation and discovered time equalization?" she asked. How the hay did she know that I know time magic?

"Wait…how in Equestria did you find out about my time manipulation?"

"Common sense," she replied. "I mean, if you discovered how to equalize time, you should have already known how to control time itself. So, does that mean you could control the future?" she asked curiously.

"Twilight, please. Time magic is a really serious matter, and it shouldn't be taken lightly. In fact, I don't remember how to cast a time manipulation spell after casting a mind erase spell on myself."

"You cast a mind-wipe spell on yourself? Then how did you manage to remember everything else?"

"The only way to forget time manipulation is to manipulate it. Fight fire with fire."

"So, you went back in time, and zapped yourself the moment you tested a spell! That's genius!" she exclaimed.

"But like I said, time manipulation is a dangerous art. It will cause dire consequences should it fall into the wrong hooves. Therefore I have decided to forget the spells and, in so doing, I have prevented an imminent disaster for at least a few months."

"I went back in time, once," Twilight said. "I was somehow swept into a paradoxical loop which was kinda still the same for that period of time. It was unavoidable."

Sometime later, the clock tower's bell rang. Alas, the ceremony was to begin. Well, Twilight somehow cast a teleportation spell on her to get her there in a flash, but even then, I made it without missing anything significant. Luckily, I managed to get a good view of the proceedings. Cadence and her newly-wed husband looked so happy together. I couldn't help but feel a sense of lightness as I looked at the two. But somehow, there was a strange sort of feeling that welled up inside of me. I couldn't tell what it was exactly. It felt like anger, it felt like sadness, it felt like regret, it felt like…

No, no, no, it can't be. I shouldn't be feeling like this. I shouldn't be thinking like this. Could it be…jealousy?

These thoughts ran through my head as the ceremony ended. At that time, I wanted to run. I wanted to run away from everything and just forget about it all. I was frustrated with myself for being like this, because I shouldn't be like this. I should be happy for them both. But by a force from within me, I began to run. I just ran, and ran, and ran. I didn't stop. For three whole minutes, I ran as fast as I could, and all the while, I had no idea what I was doing. I felt as though my body was doing all the work while my head was thinking about something else. All those feelings came through my head – frustration, pain, anger, envy, sorrow, jealousy, regret, shame…they were the thoughts that drove me to run all the way to the train station. Wait, why am I at the train station?

Just then, someone grabbed hold of my shoulder, to which I turned around with a jolt. It turns out, it was Luna. "How did you get here?" I asked, astonished.

"I noticed you running towards the exit. I thought I could keep up with you by teleporting."

"But why did you come here?"

"I thought I'd follow you because you looked troubled. Is something the matter?"

"No, it's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm _fine_, Luna. Don't worry about me."

"Then why are you leaving?" she then asked. Somehow, Luna found out what I was going to do, and she got me cornered then and there. From there, I had no choice but to speak the truth.

"I…needed some fresh air and forget about some things."

"Like Cadence?"

"I…how did you know?"

"Don't think that I don't know about your feelings for Cadence. You know I was there when that experiment of yours went wrong, and I knew that that was the beginning of you developing feelings for her. She has a peculiar power, Filigree. It's something that both you and I couldn't understand. But why do you have to leave? Can't you simply forget about it without leaving?"

"It's not that simple, Luna. Thoughts of her are filling my mind and haunting me every night. It's driving me _insane_."

"No, you're driving _yourself_ insane! You don't have the right to blame her for something no one will understand! It's _your_ fault!"

"What do you mean it's my fault?"

"You fell in love with her, and now, on her wedding day, you feel jealous of Shining Armor! That's why it's your fault!"

"Oh, so it's my fault that the experiment failed because a certain midnight blue Alicorn barged into her dorm when she began, now, huh?! I _never _loved Cadence, Luna! An experiment failed, and it ended up in me loving her! And who was the one who caused the experiment to fail? You!"

Well, I guess that's one way to shut her trap. She was just speechless. The only gibberish I heard from her was her stammering. "I…I…I'm sorry," were the only words that I could make out from her stammering.

"I knew it'd come to this," I said with a sigh. "I will return in a couple of weeks. It shouldn't be too long. I hope you'll understand – and maybe come to accept – my decision to depart for Vanhoover. Don't worry, I'll keep in touch. Farewell, Princess," I said as I boarded the train. It was a fight I would never forget, and it laid to rest some of the things that might have been in the back of Luna's mind for a while. It's the first time I've ever left Canterlot, and seeing the sights of Vanhoover would be a delight. I might also be able to forget about one side of life and focus on another…even if it's only for a little while…

* * *

**And so, Filigree departs for a new place to hoefully get rid of the pony that has been haunting him for years. Only Luna knows where he went, and nopony else. It will only be a matter of time before this cat gets out of the bag...**


	3. Chapter 3 - A Special Visit

**Chapter Three: A Special Visit**

_Hey everyone! As of last week, my workflow's been greatly hindered by life. But even then, I'll always have time to do another chapter of my fan fiction series for all of you to read, albeit with longer intervals between chapters._

_This chapter brings a very enigmatic topic in the show on center stage – technology. As magic is an integral part of the show, it does away with many commodities that otherwise would have been seen in Equestria. Technology in the series canon ranges from the 20__th__ to the early 21__st__ century, therefore there is a lot of debate as to where it ultimately stands. The technology eras vary greatly in each field, from lanterns and torches from the Victorian era to high-tech audio equipment used by Vinyl Scratch, without being centralized in a certain era in any way. So, I decided to put my twist on that subject – having many of the big cities not seen in the show to implement technology of different time frames, while keeping the areas depicted in canon as-is. Vanhoover, which will be featured in this chapter, will have technology similar to that of the Industrial Revolution, with a steampunk aesthetic._

_With that aside, we'll continue looking at Filigree's new life in the big city of Vanhoover. Since there isn't an accurate depiction of the city in MLP canon, I will have to improvise. I hope you're enjoying the fanfic as of late, so RRFFE!_

* * *

Ah, Vanhoover. It's a massive city in the northwest region of Equestria, home to over one hundred million ponies. It's also home to some of the latest and greatest technologies that has taken the world of Equestria by storm – some of which I have been able to witness myself. One very notable invention was the pen, an ingenious device which is, essentially, a pencil that uses ink; therefore combining the best of both the pencil and the quill. Of course, being the curious and tinkering me, I went out of my way to purchase such a clever device, and, contrary to my belief, was inexpensive.

Vanhoover is a marvelous city, if I do say so myself. Not long after my arrival I was able to take lodging at a hotel, where I had a view of the buildings all around. It was the perfect blend of nature and technology, of magic and of science. And most of all, I _loved_ it.

Sadly, everything changed when I received a knock on the door a week after my arrival. I took a peek through the door hole to find that it was Rainbow Dash. That was weird…why would Rainbow Dash, of all ponies in Equestria, come to my door? It was at that moment I realized that she was sent here to follow me. After all, it's obvious that she doesn't have a reason to come to me. Nevertheless, I opened the door.

"Rainbow Dash," I said. "What the hay are you doing here?"

"Nothing, I was just following you."

"Then why did you follow me?"

"I just wanted to see where you went after last week. I managed to get on board the train – in ten seconds, of course – and followed you here. Then, I got a little carried away and just spent the week going around Vanhoover. It's literally 20 percent cooler here than anywhere else."

"Okay…"

"You know, you're not so bad after all. You have some taste when it comes to going out and about."

"Oh really? What makes you think that?"

"I mean, look at this place. It's…wow." Then, looking at her watch, she then proceeds to leave.

"Where are you going?" I asked her.

"I think I should go. I mean, I don't wanna bother you or anything. Besides, I have to check out another side of town."

"Wait. Let me come with you," I said, stopping her in her tracks. She smiled, and turned to face me.

"Why didn't ya just say so?" she laughed, leading me out the door by the hoof. "You aren't _that_ much of an egghead as I thought."

* * *

Time flies when you're having fun. From what happened in the past four hours, that's quite true. We spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around, seeing the sights, and just having fun. We wound up on a hill on the outskirts of town, and we just sat there, looking at the sunset.

"You may be an egghead like Twilight, but you sure are fun to be with," she said, her cheeks flushed with the color red.

"Are you blushing, Dash?" I laughed.

"No! No, you're kidding right?" she stammered, looking away. It was obvious she was blushing, as the red in her cheeks contrasted the blue hue of her soft skin.

"It's okay, Dash. I understand."

Then, she looked back at me, and we both just stared deep into each other's eyes. It was like a scene grabbed straight from a cheesy love story, with both of us sitting under a tree on a hill with a beautiful sunset. Then, by some impulse that I have yet to understand, I kissed her. And strangely, she didn't resist; she kissed back. It was the cheesiest moment of my life, and honestly, if I could go back in time and just watch it from another view, I would just laugh my socks off. But at that moment, my life had changed. Cadence had all but disappeared from my head, and I was the happiest pony in all of Equestria…

…Of course, cheesy moments like these aren't supposed to last as long as they do in the movies, so we decided to head along home.

Along the way, we stopped at a restaurant and had our dinner, then we said our goodbyes at the lobby. "I'll see you tomorrow, egghead," she said, kissing me on the cheek. As I entered my room, I swooned over to my bed. I was in love. All that was left of Cadence was a memory embedded deep in the back of my head. No more did she haunt my mind at night, because I dreamt happy dreams thanks to a rainbow-maned Pegasus.

* * *

_And so, Filigree falls off a cliff, trying to run away from the Alicorn that really mattered to him...only to be saved by Rainbow Dash. Well, so much for Hurt/Comfort. It's time for me to ditch the drama and focus on where it __**really**__ matters – the love. Besides, this fic is Romance/Drama._

_Anyway, this love team had been budding in the back of my head since the birth of the story, and I was wondering when I would drop the bomb. Then suddenly, my hands did all the talking – er, typing. And now, we witness this budding couple in their adventures all over Vanhoover. Is it the end of the story? Far from it. There'll be more to come, I assure you; so stay tuned!_


	4. Chapter 4 - Questions? Answered

Chapter Four: Questions Answered

_Hey everyone, I'm back again after a while and I'm now angry at myself for writing so slowly. Even then, i'm happy with how this chapter turned out in the end, and I hope you guys like it too! RRFFE!~_

It's already been a month since that…er…_incident_ occurred in Vanhoover, and everything seems to be going back to normal – that is, excluding me and Rainbow Dash. We've been keeping our relationship a secret since then, and like I said, everything seems to be back to normal. Still, we'd been thinking about letting everypony close to us to know about us; but we didn't know when.

That day, my house was pristine, if I do say so myself. Besides, Dash had invited her friends over for a little party. The night before we decided that that would be the day we'd tell them. She knew they'd understand. But though I'd gotten everything ready for the party, somepony knocked on my door. It couldn't have been any of them, since the party wasn't going to start until two hours later. Turns out, it was Cadence. She dropped by Canterlot with her husband, since they'd been traveling all over Equestria the whole month.

"Cadence. What brings _you_ here?"

"Oh, I thought I'd drop by your house since we were in Canterlot anyway. I'd like you to meet my husband, Shining Armor," she said, moving aside. He was clad in a regal suit, with adornments so abundant that I bet a dragon could eat his fill from that suit. I, on the other hand, was wearing a long sleeved polo, along with some pants. It wasn't much, but it was adequate for the party.

"Ah, Shining Armor, brother of Twilight Sparkle, and leader of the Royal Guard. It is truly an honor to meet your acquaintance," I said, extending my hoof.

"Spare the formalities," he replied. "Cadence is a friend of yours, and I thought maybe we could be friends, too."

Friends? Why the hell would we be "friends?" And of all the ponies in Equestria, why did it have to be _you_? I cursed in the back of my head as we shook hooves. Then, of course, being hospitable, I said, "Would you two like to come in and have a cup of tea?"

"Um, I don't know if that would be such a good–"

"That would be delightful! Thank you, Filigree," she said, entering the room. I don't know what her intent was, but she clearly had one. Her husband had no choice and walked in with her.

After taking a seat, Cadence remarked the "truly pristine" room that I'd prepared. "I was expecting somepony," I replied, countering her remark.

"I see. Who might that be?" she asked without even the slightest hint of reluctance.

"They're friends of mine."

As the room went silent, I managed to listen in to some whispers from the two.

"Cadence, don't you think you're asking a little too many questions?"

"Certainly not. He is my friend, after all. He wouldn't mind."

"Really? After what you said to me about him? You know he's angry or jealous of me because I married you."

"I know, but it doesn't change our friendship. We've been friends for over ten years, and–"

"_That's my point_! You two have been friends for so long that you marrying someone else would hurt him. And you know you've gone out of his reach for five years. Don't you think anything would change?"

"I…I'd never thought of that before. Th-Thank you."

All the while I'd been listening to their rather covert conversation from the kitchen thanks to a little bit of science and magic. I actually quite liked the guy, because of his demeanor that obviously contrasts Cadence's shameless attitude when around me. She still thinks that I'm her friend, even though she'd been gone for five years. Such naivety. Soon enough, I heard a ring at the door while the couple was still there. I knew it'd come down to this.

"Well," Cadence said as the two stood up, "I guess we're going to have to bid farewell for now. I hope we'll see you again."

"Wait! You should stay here," I objected, opening the door.

And there she was, clad in a short black dress with a diamond that took center stage on her necklace. Her rainbow-colored mane was flowing a little more, and it rested perfectly on her shoulders. It was like seeing a rainbow in the darkest of nights. She was Rainbow Dash – the coolest mare I'd ever met. I greeted her with a hug, and let everyone in.

Then, just as I had foresaw it, the drama took its cue and enters the spotlight.

"Brother?!" Twilight staggered.

"Twilight! I didn't expect you to be here," he stammered, also quite surprised at the visit.

"Now, now, what in tarnation are _they_ doing here?" Applejack said, breaking the silence.

For a while there, everyone exchanged looks, until I spoke up. "I believe we'll have to ask _you_, Cadence. What _are_ you doing here?"

"I…uh…I just dropped by to see you, Filigree! It's that simple. Besides, I seldom ever come to Canterlot. You know, I think we should go. We wouldn't want to interfere with–"

"Wait! It's okay, right guys? I mean, the more the merrier!" Pinkie Pie cut in. With everypony's mostly reluctant affirmatives, she then shouted, letting out her cannon, "Now let's get this party started!"

* * *

Like every other party that Pinkie Pie arranges, it lasts through the night. The couple had already left, and everyone was asleep – except for me, that is. As I was keeping myself up doing the dishes and stuff like that, Twilight woke up.

"Filigree, can I ask you something? It's been bothering me for a while."

"Oh, uh, sure. What is it?"

"It's about my brother. What was he doing here earlier?"

"Cadence dropped by to see me, hoping that I would get to meet her husband. I tried to subtly keep them out of the house in case anything happened, but Cadence wouldn't budge. She still thinks that I'm her friend."

"You're her friend?"

"Yeah…well, not anymore. We graduated from the Royal Academy together. Then, she disappeared."

"I…I see," the unicorn replied, with a rather sad tone in her voice. "What happened when she returned?"

"She came to see me as if nothing had happened between us. I'd almost forgotten her, actually."

"What about my brother? Do you have anything against him?"

"No, not in the least. I…_may_ have been jealous of him when he married Cadence, but even then, nopony would want to go up against the head of the Royal Guard."

"May? What do you mean by that?"

"Well, after the wedding, I left for Vanhoover. You probably didn't know that, but anyway. Luna tried to stop me, but she accepted my decision. It was only after a week in Vanhoover when…"

"When what?"

"She…Rainbow…Rainbow Dash came to my door," I stammered.

"She said she was following me to see where I went. Then she got carried away and saw the sights of the place for a week."

"Then what happened?"

"So there, I let her in, we had a little conversation, then spent the rest of the afternoon going around town again. We then stopped on a hill just outside of town and watched the sun go down."

"Oh…now I think I know what you two are going through."

"We've been keeping it a secret for some time, but we knew that either way, you guys would know. So we decided to tell you now."

"Huh. So what happened to Cadence?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you had a crush on her, didn't you?"

"Well, she only lives as a memory in the back of my mind."

"No, I meant...what did you feel for her long ago?"

"Oh…" I said, as my voice trailed off. I was trying to figure out what to say to get past it, but it seemed to be of no use. "Very well.

I was her best buddy in the Royal Academy. She and I were so close that we thought of each other as siblings. We formed a little study group, and lots of other things happened along the way. I never had a crush on Cadence at that time; besides, she was like my older sister.

That was until she tried to perform a geometry experiment. She was using her magic to fire a beam that would bounce off all of the mirrors at a target. Everything was measured precisely to her specifications; nothing could've gone wrong."

"Then what?"

"Then, Luna barges in to ask her something, and she fires at an off angle. It bounced off all the mirrors, but it hit a different target – me. What happened shortly after, I couldn't remember."

"So she used her magic, huh? She knew what her power was, right?"

"Yes, she did. She was fully aware of the circumstances should anything go wrong, so she did everything in her power to make everything perfect, down to the last detail. I actually regret not putting up a shield spell that time. But Cadence was sure that everything would go fine without it, so I trusted her and did so. Fast-forward years later and that spell's effect comes back to haunt me."

"That's strange. Wouldn't it normally stay with you until it could be reversed?"

"That's what bothers me. The years when Cadence was gone, I felt nothing. Only when she came back did it plague my mind."

"Did it ever go overboard?"

"…Yes, it did. It was the night after she came back. She was just always on my mind that I couldn't sleep. I tried to keep myself up all night, because my eyes wouldn't close unless I would think about her. I needed to get away from it all. I needed relief, I needed respite, I needed _salvation_.

So there, I went to the kitchen, and took out a knife. It was long, sharp, and slim. It was adequate to fulfill its purpose. I was willing to do whatever it takes to get rid of her – even if I had to get rid of myself."

"I…I don't know what to say, I…it's just…horrible. Could you stop now? I'm having a hard time thinking about it."

"Oh, forgive me. Sometimes I just get carried away and keep talking without even giving so much as a damn for myself. Oftentimes I ask myself why I loved her. I would get no answer, all the time.

But _now_? Everything's changed now. Cadence is gone from my life, and all that remains of her is a memory, and that's it. And all of that was thanks to Rainbow Dash.

Look, I know you don't…approve of us. Of course, Dash and I don't meet that often, since we live far apart. But I've been making plans to move to Ponyville with all of you, to know what it's like to be a normal pony."

"Why? Can't you just live a normal life here?"

"No, too many know me already. I need to wipe my slate clean and start anew. I'm already well-known here, and anywhere I go, somepony would come to me and ask for an interview. It's crazy when you're living the life of a genius. I don't want to be a genius – not anymore. All I want now is for me to learn the way of life, and to study magic."

"What _kind_ of magic?" she demanded, her eyebrow raised.

"Hey, don't take this the wrong way. I don't plan to study the magic of friendship, Twilight. I want to study my magic there, in the peace and quiet of Ponyville. That's all. I've already been studying time magic; there's no point in filling my schedule even further."

"Oh, good then," she said. "I should hit the hay. I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she went up the stairs to the bedroom.

"Good night, Twilight."


	5. Chapter 5 - A Secret Revealed

Chapter Five: A Secret Revealed

As the title suggests, I've been keeping a secret from everypony for quite some time. It has been a year since I moved in to Ponyville, and everything's been going smooth so far. I have a house, a job, and a proper life in a quiet town. It wasn't until Twilight Sparkle called me to the library for a very urgent matter.

Life in Ponyville has fulfilled my dream of living in the perfect town – with peace and quiet, smiles from those around you, and I wasn't a celebrity there. It's far from Canterlot, where you're this genius who discovered something that everypony else (other than myself) thinks is useful. The foliage where I come from isn't as vibrant as Ponyville's, and that alone made me like this place.

Unlike my old house in Canterlot, the house I live in is quaint. Anything that needs power is powered by magic alone, which directly contrasts the electricity that my house runs upon. It's also quite spacious, too. No matter how nice my house is, an urge to go out and get some fresh air looms each day.

My job, however, is the worst part of my life here in Ponyville. After about a month of looking for one, I landed a job at the Golden Oaks Library, which also happened to be Twilight's – er, _princess_ Twilight Sparkle's – abode, and that was what I loathed the most. For so long I have loathed those who bear that imposing title; princesses have always been like that. Now that Twilight Sparkle is another princess, working with a mare like _her_ has got to be the worst job ever. Today, I have to head to the library to straighten up some 'urgent' matter.

When I did come though, it wasn't much of an 'urgent' matter as I had thought – Spike was trapped in a sea of books that were supposed to be re-shelved that day. Sadly, Twilight couldn't put them back all on her own, and Spike could burn through all of them if he tries to use his breath to get out. This she explained to me as she dragged me inside.

Fortunately I had just the spell – a twister spell, to be exact – and that got him flying out of the library. Then and there, a pump of adrenaline rushes through my veins and sent me running to his rescue. Inside me, I was arguing with myself to choose what to use to save him – my hooves, or something else. "Filigree! Save him! Please!" Twilight cried. She'd never looked this horrified before. Finally, I decided to do what was right, and sacrifice the life that I had built without these dreaded appendages.

What did I do, exactly? I _flew_. Yeah, you heard that right – I flew. All of the ponies who bore witness to my feat were watching with eyes wide open. Twilight, however, was the most surprised. It was a decision that I regretted – not only because I broke my clothes. I was an Alicorn, and Alicorns are royalty. And to me, being royalty _sucks_.

* * *

That night, I was at the library, helping Twilight with her duties. She asked me about what happened. "Do you know about you being an Alicorn?" she said.

"I was _born _an Alicorn, Twilight. It's impossible for me to not know about it."

"Then if you were born an Alicorn, does that mean you're…a prince?"

"Sadly."

"Why do you revoke your heritage as prince then? Don't you think you're lucky to be born a prince?"

"Being born a prince is a _curse_ to me! I had never been able to live my life like every other pony in Equestria until I entered the Academy. I had never been able to experience real life until my kingdom fell. I had never been able to experience life because I was a prince!"

"Where _do_ you come from?" was all she could ask of me. Of course, having said that my kingdom had fallen, I assumed this would have been likely.

"The kingdom I live in isn't supposed to _exist_, Twilight. You of all ponies should understand that. It'd been ten thousand years since my kingdom had all but disappeared, and I never bothered to bring it back to its former glory.

Well, since you seem to be giving me the silent treatment, I might as well give you a little bit of backstory behind what my kingdom once was. It was a kingdom which was more advanced than any other kingdom at that time period. It had discovered technology and science, and it grew in power and influence. However, my ancestors were benevolent ponies, and therefore had no interest in creating conflict that would otherwise disrupt the peace in the land. As you might have noticed, the inventions and marvels that have been passed on from generation to generation in my kingdom has spread throughout many of the cities in Equestria. Vanhoover was one of those places.

I was there for about a week, as you already know. I decided to head there because it was a center of technological marvels and inventions. It was the closest I'd ever been to my kingdom since it fell thousands of years ago. It brought back so many childhood memories that I even thought I'd stay there for the rest of my life."

"Wait, _thousands_? How did you get to live for thousands of years? You don't look that old."

"_Cryogenics _is the answer to your question, my fellow genius. It is a science that deals with the utilization of ice to perform many beneficial tasks, such as the ability to sleep for millennia without aging. It is one of the many primitive forms of time magic, if you will."

"So, you encased yourself in ice for so long?"

"Yes, if that's how you would like to put it. The ponies of my kingdom utilized this technology, and utilized it in even mundane, simple tasks like mere sleep. It substantially prolongs the lifespan of my ponies, and as such, some have existed for thousands upon thousands of years."

"Then if you could live for so long, why are you the only one that's left of your kingdom?"

"Princess, you mustn't jump to conclusions so quickly. Being the last of my _ancestry_ doesn't mean I'm the last of my kind. There are some people who were of my time, out there…somewhere. There are no known means of communicating with them, much to my chagrin. They are the remnants of a lost era, and I would like to seek them out, if it is possible, but there is nothing I can do in my power.

My parents, who were the rulers of my kingdom, were the smartest minds in all of Equestria. I looked up to them as a colt. They had recently discovered a new technology that was able to repel magic itself, and they covertly lined the walls of our caste and fortified it with this innovation. However, it was the same material that ended in their demise."

"What happened?" she asked in a worried tone.

"Discord had come into existence."

"Discord? But Celestia and Luna repelled him, didn't he?"

"That they did. However, chaos and disharmony had swept all over the world, and its greatest damage had centered upon my kingdom. At that time, I was away from the kingdom, hoping to build a new life on my own, without using my wings. Sadly, when I finally did come home, all I saw were the dying figures of my parents. As they died, they smiled at me, and thanked me for returning. I tried all I could to save them, but alas, the pillars that had piled upon them were impervious to magic. Then, they told me to run. They told me to run away as fast as I could. I had no choice, so I obeyed their final command, and ran. As I got further away from the castle, I heard an explosion from within the castle, and I knew then and there, that my kingdom had fallen.

I had nothing in my power to stop Discord, and it was days after that when the princesses of night and day had petrified the draconequus. In my heart, I, too, was petrified. The two ponies who loved me and cared for me since I first saw the light of day were gone, and it was all my fault. I'd never felt more helpless in my entire life. So, I encased myself in ice, hoping to let the millennia pass on and on, until that time came when my time was up, and I could finally see them one again. Somehow, I woke up, and found myself in a new land – Equestria. Then began my life as a new pony, as Filigree Flyer."

"Wait, wait, wait, so your name isn't Filigree?"

"Okay, maybe I said that wrong. My name _is_ Filigree Flyer, but in this era, nopony in this entire goddamned world could recognize me as a prince of a long lost kingdom. Now, can you?"

"Well, I guess not," she replied. "If you're the prince of a long lost kingdom, why won't you rebuild your kingdom?"

"Because I cannot deem myself worthy of flying that flag once again. We were not just a mere kingdom – we were an _empire_. We had created a technology that was impenetrable to all forms of magic, and we knew that if it was militarized, we would become an unstoppable force that would sweep all over the world. However, I haven't the mind to recreate that technology – it is a legendary art that only my parents know of. Sadly, they're all dead. Now, let's wrap it up, shall we, Princess?"

"Sure," she replied.

* * *

The next day, I woke up to a bit of a ruckus outside my door. As it turns out, my friends were there. Rainbow Dash darted at me and pushed me up to the wall, yelling, "Why didn't you just _say_ so?!"

"Why didn't I say _what_?!"

"That you were a prince!"

"What? You – Twilight!"

"What was I supposed to do? They would've known about it sooner or later, so why not now?"

"But even then, you can't just drop the bomb just like that! You didn't even tell me! Look, the house is a mess!"

"Nobody _cares_ about that – right, Pinkie?"

"_Alicorn par-tay!_" she replied with a yell.

"Whoa, no parties allowed in my house unless I say so!"

"Aw come on!" the mares chorused.

"Come on, girls, you know what the consequences are if word of my heritage reaches the rumor mill…"

"Uhh, actually, we don't," Twilight said.

"If anyone else finds out that I am a prince, I would be driven out of Ponyville – or worse, I'd be exiled from Equestria!"

"Wait just a moment," Rarity said, cutting off my panicked speech. "Why on Equestria would anypony want to drive you out?" she asked, with all the other mares nodding in agreement. "Besides, it's not like you have a kingdom or anything. Do you have any, by any chance?"

"Not in the last ten thousand years."

"T-t-t-ten thousand years?!" she shrieked, falling lifelessly onto the floor.

"Wait, so you're not just a prince, but you're also an old guy?" Rainbow Dash asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Wait, before you jump to _any_ conclusion at all, let me explain. I have been in cryogenic sleep – or in other words, I've been encased in ice – for this long, preserving my mind and body. Therefore, I could move forward in time without dying. However, cryogenics is a long-lost art that even I could not decipher. Therefore it is impossible for me to replicate the technology that my own ancestors themselves have made."

The room was silent, and everypony was looking at me with either wide eyes, a dropped jaw, or both. Rarity, however, was still unconscious on the floor, with Fluttershy by her side. "So in all fairness, I warped through space-time to get to this time period, with no side effects. No one had any idea who I was, so I started a new life from there. But knowing I was an Alicorn, I knew I must get rid of either my magic or my wings to fit in with everyone else – thus, I chose to keep the horn, and hide my wings whenever, wherever, and however possible," I explained. "You happy now?"

"Well, I guess we all learned something new, now did we, girls?" Twilight asked. And upon her request, a pen and parchment were in front of her thanks to Spike's magical breath. "Dear Celestia–"

Just then, a bolt of lightning zapped through the house, and tore straight through Twilight's paper. For some unknown reason, my own reflex and instinct were telling me to not allow this to happen. I had no idea how to explain, so I did what I had to do – run. I got up to my room upstairs and sealed it with a barrier impervious to magic. At least that would keep them out for a while. Just then, a light came from within my room, and Celestia appeared. "Princess! What brings you here?"

"I was hoping to speak to you, Filigree – about you as crown prince of Chronos."

"How…how did you know?"

"I had known for too long, Filigree. It's nice to see you again after all these years."

"Wait, how did you know who I am?"

"Well, I suppose you don't remember. Besides, you've been sleeping in ice for thousands of years. It isn't a surprise to me. Don't worry; I'll do my best to explain.

Years ago, while Chronos was one of the greatest empires in the land, I was a friend of your parents'. We had worked together for many years, fighting battles together as two nations unified. We'd been on good terms for as long as our friendship lasted, but that friendship of nearly one hundred years was cut short by the arrival of Discord.

Though everypony assumed Canterlot and its surrounding towns were the most affected, it was Chronos that was destroyed beyond repair. Nopony had expected this to happen – not even I, and we were all devastated. I came to your parents' rescue as the destruction swept across the land, and I did my best to save them. However, I was rendered powerless by the walls of the castle that repelled magic, and I watched them die, myself.

I recall you were there with them as they died, and it was the very first time I'd seen you. To my recollection, they told you to run, and you obeyed their final command. As you left, I was standing by them amidst the destruction that was around us. And there they made their last request – to end their suffering, and to find you. They asked me to bring back the kingdom of Chronos to its former glory by finding you, the heir to their throne."

"But how am I supposed to rebuild my kingdom if I don't know how to build its foundations upon which it stands? I have never been able to experiment with my parents' technology."

"Hmm, that's true. But not to worry; there will come a day when Chronos will rise up again. Under these circumstances however, I find it quite unlikely. Therefore I advise you to continue your life here in Ponyville and continue your studies in time magic; this will be key to discovering the legacy that your ancestors have given to you, their king.

Oh my, look at the time. I must be leaving now, Filigree; I hope we'll see each other soon," she said before disappearing in a flash of light. Just then, Twilight manages to bust through the front door…somehow.

"How did you get in here?!"

"The girls helped me. Anyway, I overheard your conversation with Celestia. You really are a prince."

"But like I said, I don't want to be one."

"Even then, as a prince, we must respect you as a prince is respected."

"So now what, you're all going to address me as 'Your Highness?' Oh please, that's the last thing I need from any of you," I groaned.

"You don't want respect? Fine!" she said, as she warped in and out around me. Then, in one split-second, she reappeared again, only this time directly in front of me, lip-locked. She disappeared again, out of my sight.

* * *

That night, I was on the roof when Twilight and Rainbow Dash followed me here. Twilight teleported to my side, which agitated Dash, and sent her flying into a rage. Essentially, the two mares were fighting over me, and all I could do was watch until they rolled down and off the roof.

As they were falling, I felt a burst of magical energy surge from within me, and I found myself moving in a space where nothing moved. There I realized that…

I…

Could…

Stop…

_Time!_

So, I flew down the roof, and saw the two mares in a battle for supremacy, but as they were nearing the ground, they looked as if they were trying to break free of each other. As time had stopped, I broke them free of each other, and as time resumed, they thought that everything had occurred in a split-second. They weren't hurt, but were donning weird looks on their faces. Why? I was smiling wider than ever, and it was because of my recent discovery.

So, I tried stopping time again, and I trotted to my bedroom without anypony noticing. It was a great power, I know, and it is also a dangerous art. However, I had learned to cast it voluntarily, without the aid of any spell in existence. I was able to control time on my own, and it was the greatest discovery in my life. Ever.

* * *

_And so, Filigree discovers time magic yet again – but this time, he's done it without the aid of a spell. Thus, he could use it without fear of letting it fall into the wrong hooves. In the meanwhile he ponders upon his heritage as prince, and wonders how to fulfill the task that his parents have given him. Outside his life, however, Rarity, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash are fighting over him, each with their own methods and motives. What will come out of all of this? More chapters for everyone!_

**_"Fan Fiction Par-tay!"_**


	6. Chapter 6 - Rivalry

Chapter Six: Rivalry

* * *

It's a new day for me, and I've realized something that changed my outlook on life. I don't really need to uphold my duty as prince, now that I know that there is no need for one. Now I'm living my life to the fullest, free from the chains that I bound myself to. Even so, there is still something that bothers me – and it's happening outside my front door right now.

"He's mine!"

"No, he's mine!"

"Would you two cut it out? You both know that he's _my_ prince, and nopony else will have him."

"What do you mean by that?!"

The closer I get to the front door, the louder the yells became. Soon enough, they began to fight while someponies watched from afar. It was honestly a humorous sight to see. Nevertheless, the time came when I would become fully agitated at the scene and decided to take action. "**Hold it!**" I yelled.

The area was silent. Rainbow Dash was on top of Rarity, grasping her hooves like an eagle grasps its prey. Twilight was pulling on the other girls' tails, hoping to break them apart. But the moment they saw me, they scrambled to me like chicks flocking to their mother. They were _that_ attracted to me. Then, in one moment, I warped out of their reach, and landed conveniently on the roof. Rainbow Dash, probably seeing it as an opportunity, dashes up after me, only to find that I had already disappeared, much to her annoyance. In a couple of minutes I found myself warping here and there without leaving any sign of a magical aura thanks to my new time magic skills. It proved to be a help now that there are three mares fighting over me. The problem was that I'd have to put up with it for a while. I never thought it'd come down to something like this…

About five minutes pass after that, and I locked myself in my room again, covering it with a barrier to repel anypony trying to teleport inside. I also fortified the door in case they try to bust it down. "What is wrong with my life? I'm being chased around by three crazed mares who seem to have nothing better to do. Somepony help me, please…"

Just then, I was engulfed with light that ultimately consumed me. As it turns out, I was being warped someplace. That place turned out to be Midnight Manor, home of the mysterious princess Luna. As I materialized into existence she was sitting on her bed in front of me, smiling. "Well, I hope I wasn't too late," she said.

"Too late for what?"

"I saw what happened at your house, Filigree. 'Twas quite a sight, indeed. It saddens me to see that three friends are fighting each other to get to you, and I could assume that both you and I have no idea why they are acting like that."

"You tell me. They were almost about to break in to my room."

"Why they are after you I do not know, but it seems to me that there is something bad going on. I believe we must go and have a conversation with that zebra in the Everfree Forest…Zecora."

"Good idea," I said. Then, she led me out of the house, bringing her two guards Biggs and Wedge with her. As we made our way there, I noticed that she was somehow attracted to Wedge. That was until I had found that the two had matching bracelets. They seemed to signify their bond with each other – a _thyla_, perhaps?

Soon enough, we made it to Zecora's hut, brimming with a strange energy that was the root of her arcane magicks. Nopony knew what to do, so I decided to buck down the front door with a yell. "Zecora!"

The zebra, who seemed to be holding something, gasped and tried to escape. Of course, Luna's guards had already stationed themselves at each entrance, therefore leaving her with no choice but to surrender. "All I want is for you to answer one question, Zecora," I said with a frankly imposing tone. I had to say, I was quite impressed with how I spoke back there. "What's happening with Rarity, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash?"

"If an answer from me is what you seek, look into the cauldron and take a peek," was her reply in perfect rhyme. Without hesitation, I looked into her cauldron of green goo, and I saw that they were being controlled by voodoo.

"Zecora, where are the dolls now?"

"Alas, it is not with me; I dropped it in the cauldron, you see. I believe I have now had my fun, and the mares with their fighting are done."

"Okay, thank you, Zecora," I said with a sigh of relief. It was just mere voodoo after all. No wonder they'd been acting so strangely.

"Before you leave, I must admit; they might be fighting a little bit. Take my words with a grain of salt, for you are subject to safety or assault," she warned before bidding us farewell.

This warning of hers turned out to be true, as I found myself being pulled by three mares at once. I thought I might rip myself apart, but Luna's guards were there to intervene…luckily. However, they were crushed by a falling house that Dash used, so the three continue the fight again. This was the last straw. The fighting had to stop, the rivalry had to stop, and the destruction had to stop. So, I cast a twister spell and got them going round and round in circles. I led them across the sky all the way to the deadly heat of the Badlands, where I might be able to show them a lesson.

As they tried to straighten their heads, they tried to reach for me, only to be repelled by a powerful magic barrier. Twilight tried to break my spell, but it was of no use – she was still dizzy and wasn't able to concentrate properly. Rarity was in a helpless state – but it was nothing compared to how much destruction they brought to Ponyville. At least ten houses have broken down. Finally somepony spoke.

"Filigree, what's wrong with you? Are you okay?"

"No, I should be asking you: Are _you_ okay?!"

"Your eyes…they…they're glowing."

"Oh, these? They are none of your concern. All that matters is that I stop you from causing any more destruction to Ponyville. All this fighting has been because of me, hasn't it? Therefore, it falls upon me to end this madness once and for all. If everypony finds out that I was the reason behind all of this, they will think of me as a harbinger of destruction. They will assume that I am a reincarnation of Discord. They will drive me out of Equestria! Don't you know that my life is at stake because of you?!

No, you don't know. You never knew. All you cared was to be by my side because of my heritage as prince – something that is nonexistent in this age. You want to be by my side? I'll stay by your side in the Badlands until your time is up if that's what it takes! You _will_ stay here in the Badlands…at least for the night. You will learn your lesson, and I will send you back to Ponyville. Is that clear?"

The mares nodded. They were already feeling the blazing heat of the environment, and it was a punishment that served them right. But suddenly, rainclouds are summoned over them and rain down upon them, so as to shade them from the heat. "You will learn your place. I will make sure of that," I said as I disappeared from their sight. At least it was one way I could watch over them.

* * *

Minutes passed and there was hardly a word from any of them. Finally, somepony spoke up. "Look, I'm sorry I got a little selfish back there," Dash said.

"We're sorry too, Dash," Twilight replied. "You've been together for over a month, and I guess that confirms everything."

"Plus, you look absolutely stunning together," Rarity added.

"Honestly, we haven't been talking to each other in a while. The last time we talked, we were deciding on just staying friends. I mean, he's an egghead and I'm on weather patrol. It doesn't really fit together," Dash confessed. "That...that kinda means he's open."

"But even then, we still shouldn't be fighting over him like we did earlier. I mean, I think I toppled down a house back there," Twilight said. "What do you girls think?"

"Let's not get into trouble next time," Rarity says.

"And let's just do it like we did when we fought for the Gala tickets," Dash laughed.

"So, friends?"

"Friends," the mares chorused with a group hug.

"Now, how do we get out of this place?" Rarity asked. "The heat is dreadful despite our little raincloud here."

"Well, I could fly up and take a look around," suggested Dash.

"That's a great idea, Dash," said Twilight, which prompted Dash to zoom up into the air. But as she was out of the cloud and into the skies of the Badlands, the sun was too much to bear for her, and she fainted from the heat. Luckily she landed on the raincloud, and she regained consciousness.

"I guess that was a bad move, then," Dash sighed.

"We could also wait," Rarity said, "but I have way too many things to be doing right now. There might already be orders coming in."

"So, we walk out of here. We just have to find a landmark we could use to lead us out of here. The problem is, I'm hardly familiar with this place, and there isn't a pony to be seen," complained Twilight, nearly crying at the thought of being trapped in the Badlands.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt your dramatic scene, Twilight," Dash then said. "There may not be a _pony_ out here, but I'm seeing a _dragon_!"

"Spike?" the magic-wielders chorused.

"Twilight…I….came…with a message," he said, gasping for air. "This is…from Celestia," he concluded, dropping on the sandy ground.

"She says she's found out something about Filigree," Twilight said as she read the letter, "But Filigree is nowhere to be found. I could hardly find any magical aura in this furnace."

"But wait, there's a spell," Rarity said.

_"Vanished into the ether,_

_Disappeared into the blue,_

_Whoever you may be,_

_I hereby bring forth you!"_

Then, in a flash of light, Filigree appears before them. "Filigree! You've been here all this time?" Rarity said. "Oh, how cunning! Have at you!" she said before lunging at me.

"Hey, cut it out!" Twilight said as Rainbow Dash held her back. "Celestia has a letter for you. Do you mind if you read it?"

"Look, before you do anything, I have to apologize. I was getting a little overboard back there. Here, let's get back home," I said. I cast a spell that seemingly melted the Badlands into my own room. The mares were on the bed, and I was standing on the floor. When I read the letter, I saw a strange language that was somehow familiar to me.

"This…this is a decree," I said.

"A decree? It's just a letter."

"No, it is written in a different tongue – the same one that I spoke with five thousand years ago. It says that I have to leave Equestria for eternity…or be forced to do it. I must leave before light of first dawn."

"What?" the mares chorused in shock.


	7. Chapter 7 - Departure

Chapter Seven: Departure

_Hey everypony! I had been planning to change up the story a little by shifting to the third-person perspective. I thought I needed a break from telling the story as Filigree, and in doing so, I could now be able to describe events much more easily. RRFFE!_

* * *

"Celestia! You can't do this to me!" Filigree yelled at the top of his lungs as he was being held back by guards. "Get away from me!" he said, as he went past them with a speed faster than time itself.

"This is the only way for you to understand, Filigree," was all she said as she turned around to face him.

"To understand what?! That I should be rebuilding my own kingdom? Don't you know how much I've sacrificed? I've lived longer than you, Celestia. I know more that you will ever know!"

"That's why I want you to return to your kingdom," she replied. "Luna has foreseen something dangerous – something that only you could prevent."

"How am I supposed to believe that?!" Filigree yelled.

"Because you trust me," Luna said, materializing at his side.

"That is of no concern. What matters is that you're here. I have foreseen something big entering the atmosphere of our world."

"Could it be a meteor?"

"That is what I believed at first. However, no mere meteor could trigger an event that will destroy all of Equestria."

"Destroy Equestria? How could that be?"

"That I do not know. Nevertheless, we must all take action and work together to neutralize this threat. But first, we must depart for Chronos – or at least, what's left of it."

"We?"

"Yes, I will personally accompany you on your journey, along with my guards. I might also advise taking Princess Twilight along with us – she will learn many things during our time in Chronos."

"How long until the meteor strikes?"

"About a month. I know, it will take a while, but at least it should be long enough for us to prepare for the worst."

"How long will it take to get there?" Filigree asks yet again.

"About three days. Have you packed your things?"

"Yes, I have."

"Very well. Please do inform Twilight Sparkle of this event. Should you choose, you may also bring along a friend – but please make sure that he or she will not hinder us on our journey."

"Sure…I'll do that."

* * *

The next day, a Conestoga wagon was prepared with a couple of oxen outside Filigree's door. "Are you ready yet?" Luna called out to him.

"Just a moment. I'm coming right down!" a voice replied, followed by thudding and breaking noises.

A few minutes later, Twilight and Filigree walked out together, both clad in explorer-worthy gear. Twilight was especially prepared for her trip, as she brought a saddlebag filled with important research and survival equipment. Filigree was more prepared for battle, carrying a set of knives and a foldable spear. "You both look quite excited," Luna smiled. "Let's get going. We should be able to cover much ground before sundown."

"Relax, princess," Twilight reassured her. "There's nothing to worry about. Right, Filigree?"

"Right," he replied, as his locket's watch hands began to spin rapidly. Upon entering the wagon, Filigree then warmed up his magic along with Twilight's. Their horns hummed with a magical aura as they focused their energy. Luna could only help but watch as it began to surround the cart, with Filigree's clock spinning wildly. Upon reaching its peak, the combined magic of the Alicorns sent a shockwave all across town. Nothing seemed to happen.

"I hope you don't mind, but what were you doing, exactly?" Luna asked. "Nothing happened."

"That's the point. Nothing is happening around us. Look," Twilight said, pointing outside. Indeed, the world was still. Birds were stagnant, floating in mid-air. Everypony stopped. That is, except them.

"Come on, let's go," Filigree said, smiling. "We should be able to get there in half an hour."

Later, Luna was still stupefied as she witnessed the whole of Equestria stop. As they passed a waterfall, she touched some of the droplets of water and saw them fall down. It seemed that they were moving faster than time itself. "How…how is it possible, Twilight? Have you just performed time magic?"

"Yes, with the help of Filigree. He's the one who cast the spell. We've been practicing this since he told me about our trip."

"So, did time just halt?"

"No, not exactly. It seems we're moving in a place where time doesn't exist; however, as you can see," Filigree said as he touched a leaf, "time is still moving. You see, we didn't stop time – we're moving faster than it."

"But how did that leaf just fall?" she asked. The princess was extremely curious about this very intriguing form of magic.

"Well, if we wait here without touching that leaf, it would take about a week to let it fall to the ground. However, since I touched it, the leaf becomes enchanted with the power to go faster than time; therefore, anything we come in contact with will be able to follow our speed."

"That is just…fascinating," Luna said, her eyes wide open. "I must learn more of this time magic."

"Here, give me your hoof," Filigree said. "Let me show you how fast we're really moving." As Luna placed her hoof in his, she closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened her eyes, she saw the cart moving faster than the eye could see.

"Where is Twilight?" she asked.

"Right here," she said as she materialized from out of nowhere. Her hoof was placed upon Filigree's as well.

"Everything is moving so quickly!"

"Yes, but you might get headaches seeing all of this," he said, reverting the spell. At that moment, everything stopped again, and they continued moving onward on the long road to Chronos. They were traveling towards the Frozen North, where their destination lies over them. One thing they noticed was that the wind of the north was nonexistent. It was totally stagnant.

* * *

"Alright, everypony," Twilight said as she handed out some cloaks, "It will still be cold up there, but these cloaks should be enough to keep us warm. Remember: don't focus your magic on anything you touch, because it will move as fast as we can. We don't want that to happen, do we?"

"So," Filigree added, "Chronos lies beyond these mountains, and these mountains in particular are home to dangerous wildlife. Always stick with a partner, in case we ever split up. If you get holed up alone, use your conch shell. Watch your step, keep moving, and don't look down. Ready?"

With their nods of agreement, they began trudging up the mountains. Minutes later – or at least that was how they perceived it – they happened upon a cave where Filigree stopped at. He was facing a gigantic wall of ice on which glyphs were carved upon. "This…this is a language," he said, his hoof brushing off some snow. "Do you happen to recognize this, princess?"

For about a minute, all he received was silence, for both Luna and Twilight were, in fact, princesses. The two Alicorns simply exchanged looks at each other while Filigree was busy brushing off more snow. Finally, Twilight went to Filigree's side, and examined the glyphs with him. "These glyphs…they _are_ familiar."

"I thought so," he muttered. Then, he focuses his magic and fires a beam at a hole in the center of the wall, which then spread light through the glyphs. Soon enough, they were bright enough to be legible, and thus Filigree began to read.

"This…this is a letter," he declared. "Someone was here to write this letter. Could it have been one of my own?"

"Well, I guess we're going to find out," Twilight replied as the ice begins to crack and slide open. The cave turned out to be a mere entrance, as they saw themselves looking at three tunnels pointing every which way.

"As expected, those conch shells will be in handy," Filigree says as his fills them with magical energy. "Put them in anyplace that's secure, like a pocket or a bag. Nopony wants to lose them in case you get holed up. Always stick with a guard – I'll go my way alone. I could hold my own pretty well here. Alright, I'll go first," he then said, walking towards the left tunnel. As he takes a few steps, shouts were heard as he seemingly slides down. This sent cringes down each of the princesses' spines, but reassuring themselves, they enter the tunnels as well – Luna taking the middle and Twilight taking the right.

In the meanwhile Filigree was still sliding down the tunnels with glee. Nostalgic thoughts come into his mind as he recalls his experiences riding down the same tunnels as a colt. Now, his father – the pony the he idolizes the most – wasn't there with him. But somehow, he feels the spirit of his father in those tunnels, and he wipes off a tear as he makes it to the jump at the end. However, the moment he did, his wings sprang into action and saved him from an otherwise unfortunate fall. "The continents…they're split!"

_I am really, truly sorry for taking so long to get this extremely short chapter done! I had been busy with equalizer reviews and a document I needed to beta-read, so I hardly had enough time to go through this chapter. I promise I'll make it up to you guys in Chapter Eight, because it's a chapter that I've been waiting to write about!_


	8. Chapter 8 - Chronos

Chapter Eight: Chronos

* * *

The princesses now follow suit, and the group is now hovering over a patch of ground that made way for a massive chasm. The continents were split by an unknown force, for it was impossible that it would merely move on its own. Flying over the gap, they made it into Chronosian territory. Of course, it was pretty much useless as Chronos is nothing but a wasteland.

"Oh Faust," Filigree said, tears forming in his eyes. "What in Equestria have I done…?"

They came closer and closer to the empire's largest city – Time Square. It was all rubble and ash and dirt. Plants and foliage began to take over the city with its greenery, creeping up walls and even sprouting in buildings. The castle sustained even more damage. The castle gate and the center tower was all that seemed stable, as the entire structure looked like it was about to fall apart. However, plants ruled the ancient city, and the castle was no less – it looked as if the plants were keeping everything together.

"The castle…it's unlike anything I've ever seen," Twilight said. "My magic is almost useless here."

"So it still works," Filigree mumbled under his breath. The other ponies failed to decipher what he said, but both you and I know, and that's the only thing that matters.

"This technology…it is unprecedented. I have not seen anything like it," Luna remarked in awe. "How is it possible for any city in Equestria to overlook such wonders?"

"Bias," Filigree replied coldly. "Equestria has always been a land of magic, and Canterlot is the center of that. If a technology of this caliber would be introduced to Equestria, it would spread like a wildfire, and magic would become obsolete – that is, unless somepony manages to strike a balance between the two.

This same problem was taken into deep consideration by my ancestors, and many years have gone by without a viable solution as science clashed with magic. It was only until my ancestors found that solution – power. As the technology in Chronos developed at an alarming rate, the need for energy spiraled out of control. It was only then that they turned to magic, and thus, balance was achieved. From then on, technology and magic co-existed, and they cooperated in sustaining the life of Chronos. "

"So what you're saying is that Equestria shunned this technology?" Luna asked.

"Yes, they did, but only after my kingdom fell. My parents' technology came to be the key to their demise," he said as he stopped in front of a fallen pillar. Yes, this was the same pillar under which his parents died. As he searched through the moss and leaves surrounding it, he could not find the skeletons of his parents – but as he had been sleeping for thousands of years, it was not a surprise.

Twilight walked over to his side, saying, "So this is where your parents…I'm so sorry, Filigree," trying to comfort him. Tears dropped onto the dusty ground below as he turned away, his pain no longer bearable.

"L-leave…me…alone," he muttered.

"I know how you feel, Filigree," she continued.

"Leave me alone I said!" he yelled. "You have no preconception of what it feels like to lose your parents – because you didn't. It already hurts to lose your parents, but losing them because of you hurts much more than that."

"It wasn't your fault–"

"_Yes, it was!_" he roared, his voice echoing throughout the halls. Luna and the guards heard it as they were exploring with deep curiosity. "They died because of me. I wasn't there to save them, Twilight."

"But if you were there with them, you probably would have died with them."

"I _should_ have died with them! I should have gone down with the ship instead of abandoning it long before the ship sank. And now, look at me – this dark fur could have been lighter were it not for the sins I have committed. The darkness has turned me into who I am supposed to be – a monster."

"You're not a monster, Filigree. You're my friend, and you're the closest friend I'll ever have. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to do what I am able to do now.

Don't you see, Filigree? _I love you!_" she said, kissing him as he turned to face her. Then, Luna and her guards happened to walk in on them.

"Oh…uh…I believe I'm interrupting something here," she said as she turned to explore another area of the castle. Immediately Twilight broke off, and warped away to hide. Filigree followed suit, and warped onto the top of the tower. It was the most memorable place in the entire castle. He would spend night after night gazing at the stars that he so adored. At the tender age of six, he was able to discover and prove that stars themselves are a fragment of ages long past. His parents knew that this was his talent, and on one fateful night, he received his cutie mark – four white stars, surrounding watch hands.

* * *

That night, he was quite busy reading his star charts and peeking into his telescope every now and then, and his parents were there to observe him. Smiles were on their faces as they watched their little genius do what he does best. But that night, young Filigree discovered an anomaly in the stars…which turned out to be a bright ball of flame. That meteorite seemed to be aiming at the tower. In a panic, his parents urged him to go down and stay in a safe place, but Filigree worried that he might lose all of his precious instruments and records. As it approached closer and closer, he felt a surge of magical energy pulse through him, and hovering in mid-air, he fired off a spell that was aimed at his telescope. The beam was focused through the lens and amplified a hundred-fold, then it was directed straight at the meteorite. In a few moments, an explosion of white light illuminated the sky with the power of a thousand suns that the sky turned into morning for one hour. Then, as Filigree landed on the floor, the light vanished, and the night had returned.

It was a moment that was recorded in history books everywhere. However, the king and queen had hoped to hide the event as a strange phenomenon to protect their son. It was that moment that changed his life, and it was that moment that granted him his cutie mark. Only a hoof-full were able to explain the phenomenon of the explosion of light – but nopony in Equestria's history was able to decipher the mystery behind the explosion that stopped for one full hour. Nopony ever will be able to decipher that mystery, as only one pony still knows of it after ten thousand years.

Ten thousand years later, Filigree returns to that same tower, and falls asleep on the roof. The guards and princesses managed to find him after searching for him all afternoon. They searched low and high – though they never thought to look in a place _that_ high at first. Nightfall came, and all of them were gazing at the stars. "This is simply magical. It's as if I'm a colt all over again," remarked Filigree as a faint light began to surround him.

"Um, Filigree? What's with the light going on around you?" Twilight asked worriedly.

"Oh, this? This is…what _is_ this? I'm being teleported!" He shouted as he tried to free himself of his predicament. The light became brighter and lifted him slowly up into the sky. Then, in a flash of light, he disappears. The two princesses try to follow him, but to no avail.

"Oh no! What happened to Filigree?"

"I do not know either. We must report to Celestia at once!" Luna said. "Do you know how to conjure the time warp spell?"

"I…I think I know what to do," Twilight replied, beginning to cast the spell.

In the meanwhile, Filigree was teleported to a parallel dimension, which looked exactly like the real world. However, the castle was in perfect condition. "Who brought me here? Show yourself! I'm not afraid of you!" In a few minutes, the castle was bombarded by meteors, and he was made to see every moment of it. He rushed into the castle to find his parents crushed by the same magic-immune pillar that killed them so many years ago.

"Filigree!" Axel Bolt shouted. "Son, there isn't much time."

"Dad! I have to get you out of here!"

"No! It's useless. This pillar is impervious to our magic. Nopony could set us free."

"What about Mom?"

"She…she fell unconscious."

"I can't just leave you here!" Filigree cried. With all his might he conjured a mighty shockwave that shook the pillar off of his parents, finally able to save them.

"Filigree?"

"Come on, there's no time to explain! We have to get out of here!"

"Filigree, there's somepony behind–"

At that moment, a magic thunderbolt pierced through the head of his father, and knocked him unconscious in an instant. Filigree, now enraged, turned to face his opponent, casting a shield about him and his mother. He tried to see if his father was still alive, and he sighed in relief as he heard him breathing. Now facing his opponent, he blew a powerful gust to reveal Discord himself.

"So _you_ were the one who killed my parents! You will pay for this!"

"Oh, I did?" he asked sarcastically. "They look just fine, Filigree – they're just unconscious, is all."

"Don't you dare lie to me!" he roared ferociously, firing off a beam of darkest night at Discord. He was thrown back by the immense power of his magic, but quickly regained his footing.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho…" he chuckled. "You actually think you could defeat me? I am the very source of your power, Filigree..."

"'Very source' your flank!" Filigree yelled. He took out his knife, and rushed at him at a blinding pace. He then began to stab him again and again, while Discord tries to catch him with his claws. But Filigree's time magic was no match for him, and he was stabbed over and over from every angle, without even a chance at stopping the Alicorn's brutal attack. As blood gushed from each of his deep, fatal wounds, he dropped to the floor, dejected and defeated.

"How…how could this be happening to me?!" Discord shrieked in horror. Filigree stood in front of him, and stomped on his horn, breaking it. Discord screamed in pain as the prince smirked, saying, "Oops."

"Please! Have mercy on me! Don't you see I could make everything right?" the draconequus pleaded for his life.

"Really? And how is that?" the Alicorn asked coldly.

"I…I could revive your parents! I could rebuild Chronos!"

"You see? This is why I can't trust you," Filigree shrugged, breaking his other horn. Filigree turns around and walks away, with a bloody knife in hoof. Blood was all around Discord as he was left for dead, utterly helpless. Filigree then stopped in his tracks and walked back to the draconequus.

Discord looks up, only to see droplets of the red liquid drip upon his face. Then Filigree dropped the knife, purposely allowing it to land close to Discord's eye. "This is for destroying my life," Filigree said, finally walking away for good.

"You thought you could defeat me so easily?" Discord said, standing up. "This is _my_ realm. I rule here."

"Not anymore," Filigree said, holding an object in his hoof. It turned out to be a glass orb.

"What…how is it possible…this is inconceivable!" Discord roared. "No!" he cried as the Alicorn throws it up into the air. Then a bolt of black lightning pierces it, shattering it to pieces. The plane then begins to melt away, revealing the castle…of _Canterlot_. Discord begins to flake away as the three princesses bear witness to this feat. Filigree, wanting to put an end to the chaos that plagued his mind, rushed towards the draconequus and fires another bolt of black lightning through his heart, imploding the embodiment of disharmony and chaos.

"You…you have achieved something that I never have," Discord laughed. "I commend you for your indomitable resolve, and for that I must reward you accordingly. I will never be defeated, Filigree Flyer, for I live in the hearts of many – and most especially yours.

The choice has been made, and the price has been paid. I will see if you will be able to return to the light that you once dwelled in, for my defeat has given birth to a darkness that you will never be able to revert. Farewell, prince; I will meet you again…"

The draconequus laughs once more as he fades away into the ether. Filigree looks down upon his bloody hooves, a testament to the darkness that Discord spoke of. His fur turned into an even deeper blue, and became darker than the very night. Luna and Twilight tried to walk to his side and comfort him, but they were both repelled by a magical barrier. Celestia looked on with a calculating face, eyebrow raised. "What…what have I done?" Filigree muttered. Slowly being consumed by darkness, he disappears.

* * *

"You will _pay_ for this, Discord!" Filigree yelled out into the heavens. Suddenly he turned around in reflex as he saw somepony materializing from out of nowhere.

"D-Dad?"

"Filigree," a gentle, deep voice greeted him. "It's been a while."

"Dad…how did you..."

"It's difficult to explain, Filigree. I wouldn't want to explain it since I am more than certain that you would become agitated with what I'm going to say. I'm afraid you wouldn't believe me."

"Dad, you know I'll believe every word you say," Filigree's eyes lit up.

"But I'm quite certain that you wouldn't believe what I'm about to say when I tell you that Discord brought me back."

"D-Discord?!" Filigree stumbled back a step. "How could you Dad?"

"Now, now, don't think of this the wrong way," smiled Axel. "You know I wouldn't trust Discord as easily as that. It was that he made a bet. If ever you would be able to defeat him, he would return me and your mother back into the real world as if nothing had happened. However, if you refuse to fight Discord or lose – which I'm sure you wouldn't – I would lose you.

It was a risk I had to take, because I knew that some things will not be changed after that. If you lost, I knew I would never be able to see you again – not even as a soul in the ethereal plane. It was a gamble, and I seem to have won. But victory costs. I know that by defeating Discord you would be cursed with his darkness and disharmony, and I believed that there was nothing I could do to stop it.

That's why I came to you, Filigree. I want to make ends meet, and hopefully rebuild our relationship. I know you've been angry with me and your mother as you were to be inheriting Chronos quite soon. But since its fall, I knew that there was no more kingdom for you to rule. I want to reconnect that bond we shared, Filigree. Please, just give me a chance." A tear dropped from his eye as he smiled at his son. He was happy enough to be able to see him.

Filigree was entirely silent. Within him he was waging a war against himself. It was a battle of who he was and who he is. Then, an angel and devil appeared on his shoulders, coming in to guide him through his way.

"What if he's not your father?" the red pony asked.

"He's obviously your father," the white pony countered.

"You can't trust him that easily!"

"You know your father more than anyone. Of course you could trust him."

"What if he's brainwashed? You know what Discord could do!"

"He couldn't have been brainwashed! How could he do that anyway?"

"He did the same thing to Twilight and the rest of the main six!"

"That was _hypnotism_! Hypnotism and brainwashing are two entirely different things!"

"That depends on context!"

"Nopony cares about that!"

"Discord could be tricking you! Think about your soul!"

"Think about your family!"

"Shun the light!"

"Defy the darkness!"

"**_Shut up!_**" Filigree yelled. But as he was yelling in his own mind, nopony was able to hear it. Also, he was moving faster than time – if anypony heard it, it would've sounded like the squeak of a mouse. "Dammit you two, aren't you supposed to be me? Can't you see that my dad's perfectly fine?"

"Oh…" his subconscious chorused. It was the aura that surrounded his father that made Filigree trust him – after all, only the most proficient of magic users can detect magical auras, and only he could see them without casting a spell.

"Dammit, White; you beat me again. I'll get you next time," the devil said, poofing away in a tiny cloud. The angel followed suit, and left Filigree with a decision made. To him, what felt like several minutes was only a moment for his father as he receives a hug from his son.

"How could I not trust you, Dad?" Filigree said. In a worried tone, he then lamented, "Mom's gone, right?"

"No, Filigree; in fact, she's asleep in a castle chamber right now. We mustn't wake her," his father smiled. "Now, let's go home."

"H-Home? We have no more home left," said Filigree.

"Equestria is our home now, Filigree. You should have already known that by now," chuckled Axel.

* * *

_Well, it's been a lot of battles for Filigree, I know; but it ain't over yet. I'm really sorry for the delay of this chapter - it's six pages long. Never mind that. For the next chapter, things are going to go sliding downhill with the help of our friendly neighbourhood draconequus. It's going to be bigger. It's going to be better. And most of all, it's going to be 20% cooler!_


	9. Chapter 9 - Awakening

Chapter Nine: Awakening

A month has passed since the defeat of Discord at the hooves of Prince Filigree Flyer, and many things have changed since then. Gone was Chronos, and Filigree's parents are now living quietly in a stately villa among the higher echelons of Canterlot's residences. Filigree continues his studies in the peace and quiet of his home in Ponyville, while he continually communicates with his parents through a magic-based form of mail (that has even been rumored to be faster than dragon mail). Even Equestria benefited from Discord's defeat, with everything being much more peaceful. Sadly, not everything is at peace.

"Your Highnesses, I would like to inquire of your knowledge," a hooded pony says, bowing down in front of the Alicorns.

"And who are _you_?" an agitated Celestia asked. "Where are my guards?"

"They have all been incapacitated, milady," the pony calmly replied.

"Show yourself!" Luna demanded.

"Of course," the mysterious pony complied, taking off his hood. He was an Alicorn unlike anything they had ever seen. He was glowing with a mystifying red aura, of which the colour of his eyes accented with a more sinister hue. His fur was of the darkest night, and his mane a dull gray with streaks of white.

"State your name."

"Why, do you not remember me, Princess Luna? I am but a mere savant in the art of time manipulation," he said, before laughing and appearing behind her shoulder. "Luna, Luna, Luna; how could you forget?" he chuckled. It was then that they realized that it was Filigree Flyer, turned into a prince darker than the Mare of the Night herself. With a powerful thud, Filigree then receives a buck in the face from Luna, sending him sliding across the floor.

"Luna!" her sister snapped. Just in time, his parents managed to arrive and witness their son in a frightful state.

"Filigree! Is he alright?" his mother asked. "We've been chasing him all across Canterlot, and his power is growing by the minute!"

"We must do something to address that," Luna said worriedly. "Biggs, Wedge, take him to my home. I believe I have something I could use."

"Yes, ma'am," the guards saluted, setting off to perform their duties. But as they were about to lift Filigree off the ground, he woke up with a start.

"What? Where am I? What in the hoof am I doing in Canterlot?" Questions were jumping out of his mouth like skydivers out of an airplane. Looking at his hooves, he begins to panic. "Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no; this can't be happening. This just _can't_ be happening!"

Suddenly, he discharges a bolt of black lightning that reflected across mirrors on the castle walls. It eventually landed on the ground, barely scraping his ear. Then, glancing at all of the ponies around him, he then mutters, "I guess I have a lot of explaining to do."

* * *

At Luna's manor, Filigree is suspended in mid-air by a series of magical ropes, facing the ceiling as Luna figures out a way to end him of his misery. "How long has this been going on?" Celestia asked.

"It's been two weeks since this first happened. At first, I managed to control it, so I kept it secret for a while. That was until I found myself going all around Equestria at night. I talked it over with Twi – er, Princess Twilight – and she tried to come up with a solution, but to no avail. It then fell upon me to try and end this myself.

I tried different kinds of methods, like trying to hit myself with a lightning bolt. That didn't work, so I opted for other methods. I ended up nearly killing myself trying to fix everything. At this rate, I might as well just kill myself before anything bad happens to any of you."

"No! You can't!" Twilight interjected with a heartbroken tone. Tears filled her eyes as she tried to muster up the courage to walk this path with him.

"Look, Twi, I know you're worrying for me like everypony else in this room, but don't you think you're getting a little overboard? You're starting to look awkward."

"It's just that I…" she tried to counter, before realizing that his parents were there. She didn't want to let anypony in the whole of Equestria know other than Filigree that she loved him. "I worry for you because you're my best friend. I know we've only known each other for the better half of a year, but you've taught me many things. This is just my way of thanking you for that," she said. All of that was true, but her true intentions were locked away safely…at least for now.

Suddenly, Filigree began to distort and warp from place to place. "Dad! Use the trap spell! We don't have much time!"

"Alright!" his father replied, conjuring up a bubble that enclosed the castle. Soon enough, the warping slowed down to a halt, with Filigree on the verge of sanity…and on the verge of falling off the stairs. He began to absorb dark energy from within the castle, and his aura intensified to a blood red as he finally lost control of himself. As he saw himself in what might be his last moments, he took one last look at his family and friends before disappearing in an explosion of dark matter. From that explosion, a black snake-like stream emerged. It swirled around the group as Celestia cast a banishing spell. That snake turned out to be Discord…again.

"What did you do to my son?!" Axel yelled.

"Oh, nothing, really," Discord replied simply. "We'd already talked about it for a while, so everything's settled then. I just came by to tell you that you may not be able to see your precious Filigree again."

"What?! How _dare_ you!" Twilight roared, burning with a monstrous flame of anger and pain. In her rage she let out a powerful beam of white light that consumed everything in its path. With much effort, she directed it towards Discord. Sadly, her ultimate power was unleashed only to have it brushed off like mere dust.

"Really, Twilight, must you attempt to defeat me now?" Discord smirked. "I have been bestowed with Filigree's power. There is no way you'll be able to defeat me. Better luck next time, Twilight Sparkle," he said, disappearing into the air.

Her power now drained, Twilight listlessly falls upon the floor, defeated. "How could he just leave me like that?" she lamented, tears pouring from her eyes. Inside her, she felt all sorts of emotions. She felt betrayal, sorrow, pain, anguish…it was too much to bear. Finally, she gave up, and closed her eyes, trying to get away from it all…even if it was only for a little while.

* * *

_Damn, I'm really, really sorry for the late posting of this chapter. I hardly had any time to think about what's going to happen next. But don't worry; I promise that the tenth chapter of this story will be the best chapter of all – the finale! _


	10. Chapter 10: Epilogue

_**Epilogue: Revelation, Confrontation, Reconciliation, Recollection**_

_Hey everyone! This is it – the big finale to end this story. But first I'd like to thank everypony who has been reading this fic since day one. I apologize for not releasing chapters any faster, but I guess that's the extent of my work. This is my favorite chapter in the entire story, so I decided to make it special and end it with a bang. RRFFE!_

* * *

I don't know how much time passed exactly, but about a couple of hours later, I found myself waking up to see my friends' faces. "Where…where am I?"

"You're in the library!" Pinkie gleefully replied. "Princess Celestia and Luna brought you here, and…and…oh, what was that other thing?"

"What she was trying to say was," interrupted Rarity, "the princess wanted to show you something. Of course, we didn't want to spoil it for you, darling, so we waited for you to wake up." She then brought a simple cardboard box over to me. When I lifted the cover, everypony in the room was watching intently at its contents, which turned out to be a mere crystal ball.

"A crystal ball? Why would Celestia want me to see a crystal ball?" I asked aloud. Nopony knew either.

Then, being her curious self as always, Pinkie picked up a sort of wand that was in a corner of the box. "What does _this_ do?" She asked, before it glowed and fired a beam of light at the crystal ball. We all watched in awe as an image of Filigree was projected on the bed.

"Filigree! What…how did you get trapped in there?"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down!" he replied. "I'm not trapped in this ball. In fact, I don't even know where I am anymore. This is just a little thingamajig that I built to send a message to you.

First of all, I'd like to thank all of you girls for helping me to realize one simple fact: that life is worth living, and worth dying for. I know that I may not be able to see you again, as I'm trapped in Celestia-knows-where, but I know that I've fulfilled my purpose here, and that it is time for me to depart. You see, I cheated life. I ran away from a fate I was about to suffer, and wound up thousands of years later, in this new era. At first, I thought I was free of the chains of the past that bound me; however, it was always there. But when I met you girls, I found out that fate is inescapable. And though that is how it is, you gave me the strength to face the trials that I had to face and thus fulfill my destiny.

Rainbow Dash, you helped me to learn how to love. I know it sounds crazy, but it's the bare truth. We may have some large differences, but that didn't stop me from building a bridge and crossing that gap. You helped to take a leap of faith and to just follow my heart. For that, I thank you." Rainbow Dash winced about, her cheeks red as a rose.

"What?" she said as we turned to look at her.

"Rarity, you taught me to think. When I was in the Academy years ago, I was relentless when it came to my studies. I was indifferent when it came to other ponies, and so I had very few friends. But thanks to you, I'm now able to think my decisions through, so that the outcome would satisfy everypony.

Pinkie Pie, you helped me to learn how to have fun. Yes, I was almost always pensive or serious or just downright frustrated, but you made me value what's good in life. I now realize that there's more to it than study and work, and for that, I thank you.

Applejack, you taught me to…well…ah don't know exactly," Filigree said with a Southern accent. "But what ah learned from you was how to cook. Yeah, ah actually know how to bake a pie now, thanks to you. Ah'll never forget that, Applejack. I could only wish I could actually bake one for you girls, but…

Fluttershy, you taught me to care. I know, it sounds crazy, but yes, I wasn't the same pony when I was younger. I…was kinda like Twilight. I was too focused on my studies that I absolutely loathed my duty as prince. That was also what prompted me to leave my kingdom…and it was what saved me in the first place. Now, I cared about other ponies thanks to you, and I've changed a lot since then. But most of all, I'd like to thank Twilight for teaching me to live life to the fullest.

Thank you – all of you. You've changed me in ways I could not even begin to comprehend. I'm a changed stallion now, and I'm ready to accept my fate. But before I do, I would like to have a word with Twilight…alone. Would you mind, girls?" Filigree asked. The girls nodded and went downstairs to the library.

As the door closed, I began to ask questions. "Filigree, why are you leaving us?"

"Look, Twilight, there's something you need to know…about me. I'm sure you already know that I come from Chronos, which had fallen many thousands of years ago. Well, I put myself into cryogenic sleep, and I wound up in this timeframe."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Everything. You see, if I didn't put myself into cryogenic sleep, I would have been dead – for thousands of years. I cheated both life and death. Basically, I shouldn't even be existing. Therefore, I have to leave."

"But what you did already affects our time. You can't just leave like that and think that everything will go back to normal. Both you and I know that."

"I found a way to bring everything back to normal."

"How's that?"

"Discord."

I was taken aback by this. Discord again? Why would he trust Discord? "Dammit, Filigree, don't you know what Discord could do? He's the embodiment of disharmony! You can't trust him!"

"But truth be told…he trusts _me_. I knew that if I do what he says, he would do as I say. It's an even deal, considering that he still owes me one for destroying my own kingdom. It's worth a shot, Twilight – I can't let it go to waste."

"But what will happen to you?"

"Well, my end of the deal says I'll have to 'dance with the devil,' or so some ponies say. I'll be staying with him, doing as he says as he picks out what's left of my kingdom and make all of that disappear. His end of the deal is far from what he really owes me, and with his trust, I bet he will do as I say."

"So, we're all going to forget about you?"

"In due time, yes. Once Discord takes all of the remaining Chronosians back to where we belong – in the afterlife, of course, he will wipe all memory of Chronos, or any of us. Honestly, it's a good enough deal, considering how much damage I've done to everypony.

I know, it's an untimely departure, but I guess I've crossed the line, Twilight – I've made myself too known. But don't worry – I hope that soon enough you might be able to see me again. I'll always be on the library rooftop every night, gazing at the stars. Though I'm invisible to you, I could see you. And if you ever forget about me, just fire up this crystal ball.

Oh yes, I almost forgot. Tell Rainbow Dash to meet me by the fountain every afternoon, before sunset. I know, it will sound crazy to her as she couldn't be able to see me, but just tell her anyway. Oh, and what time is it, Twilight?"

"8 PM."

"Ah, so it's happening," he said.

"What's happening?"

"I call it 'The Cleansing.' Pretty cool name, huh?"

"Wait, so you're being erased?"

"Yes, I am, as of now. All I'm doing right now is following orders."

"Wait a minute, you said that you made this to send me a message, right? This isn't exactly the case, isn't it?" I said skeptically. Of course, I had every right to be skeptical, as the crystal ball is supposed to be a simple recording. How could he be able to do things beyond what is expected of him? He asks the time, he creates names…no, this has to be it. He _has_ to be Filigree!

"Honestly, you're right. This isn't just a recorded message. I've programmed it to say whatever I want it to say."

"No, it couldn't be that simple, Filigree. No technology is able to do that! Does that mean you…you're trapped inside that ball?"

Filigree's face looked quite concerned and in deep thought, which probably meant that I hit the mark. I think I cracked the code to this mystery after all.

"Well, since you're so smart, prove it to me, protégé of Celestia," he said arrogantly. Okay, now I blew it.

"Okay, first let's start with your speaking. How is it possible for you to speak so naturally? Of course it couldn't be because you taught it to, right?"

"It's because I recorded my own voice. It's simple."

"It couldn't be that simple; with a timeframe as short as a week, you couldn't get to do this all on your own."

"I had help."

"No, you didn't. If you even were going to ask for any help, you would've come to _me_. Now, let's continue. Why did you ask about the time?"

"I didn't know what the time was. I took a glance at the clock, but I couldn't really make it out."

"You don't _need_ to know the time when you're out there following Discord's orders. You'd be too busy doing what he tells you to. And let's not forget about Applejack."

"What? What of Applejack?"

"You said that you learned how to cook thanks to her. Well, obviously, you didn't."

"Okay, maybe I lied there, but still."

"See? You're trapped in that crystal ball! You lied! You're no automated message, you're Filigree!" I was excited, I was anxious, but most of all, I was relieved. Filigree was right here after all. I began to charge up a beam to set him free from the ball, and it exploded in a flash of light. And there he was.

* * *

"Twilight, I…" he stammered.

"So you admit it now?"

"Yes, I admit it – you really _are_ a genius."

"No, not that!" I laughed. "Admit that you were hiding in that ball!"

"Yeah, I guess I admit that, too. But even then, I still have some unfinished business, Twilight. It's just…I really have no reason to exist in this timeframe, but I've learned many things from you. I really must leave," he said as we walked down to the library below.

"What about Discord?"

"I know. We have some loose ends to tie up. All I know is that I have less than an hour before I disappear into thin air. I didn't have any idea what to do, so I thought I'd waste time saying my goodbyes."

"But we won't let that happen," Rarity smiled. "Right girls?" The nods of her friends' agreement cemented their decision.

"Now, let's go have a chat with Discord," Twilight declared with a fire of determination.

* * *

"Why, there you are, Filigree! I've been looking all over Equestria for you," Discord smiled. "Your parents and I were just discussing some things over a cup of tea. Isn't that right, Mr. Axel?"

"Dad, what are you and Mom doing? Don't trust him!"

"Filigree, didn't you know already? Discord is a well-mannered draconequus now."

"No, he isn't! He destroyed our home, he destroyed our kingdom, and he destroyed our _lives_! He simply cannot be tolerated, let alone trusted! Say what you will, because I don't know if I will be able to trust you anymore. Now, he's going to wipe out any and all traces of Chronos in ten minutes. I swear by my blood that I will not let this happen!"

"Oh, _I'm_ going to wipe out Chronos? Are you really so sure of yourself, Filigree Flyer? You should know that I am quite reformed now, and that I know the future."

"What does it say then, Discord? Care to elaborate?" Filigree scoffed brashly. I knew that he was angry with Discord, but I didn't have the heart to tell him that what he says is true. He's reformed now, but I can agree that he can lean back over to his old self, if only for a little while. I guess that got timed a little wrongly and sparked an inferno in Filigree. Right now, neither I nor the girls had the courage to speak up.

"As far as the future is telling me, it's _you_ who's going to erase Chronos."

"Okay, now that's just insane!" Filigree yelled. "I know that you're going to do it, and I'm going to bet my _life_ that that's what's going to go down. And I know that I will not lose!"

"Very well, suit yourself," Discord said, pouring tea into his cup. "But why are you placing a bet when no one is betting on something with you? Do you plan to risk something for nothing?"

"If it's to prove you wrong, then I'm going all in."

"Okay then, now, sit down and have some tea," Discord replied simply, pouring tea into a cup and having it float over to him. With a grunt, Filigree complies with his request and sits down on a table shaped like an artist's palette. Of course, all of us sat down as Discord poured tea into our cups as they float around in a mysteriously amusing fashion.

But one thing stood out from all the rest – silence. It was so silent that you could hear a plate drop all the way from Canterlot. There was also tension…lots of it. Filigree was exchanging looks with his parents and me, and believe me, I have no idea what he was trying to tell me. Three minutes passed when finally, Filigree blew his fuse.

"All right, that's **it** with your ruses, Discord! It's time to end this!" he yelled as he flew up in the air and gathered dark thunderclouds overhead. Streaks of black lightning began to rain from the sky, sending us running for our lives. We made our way for the library, with Discord rounding up Filigree's parents. They decided to stay behind as they thought they would be able to appease him. But as Discord ran back to his parents to save them, Filigree saw this differently and became enraged.

"Don't you **dare** touch my parents, Discord!" he roared, as a streak of black lightning crashed down onto the ground. Discord reluctantly moved away, and Filigree strikes again; although this time, he had hit his very own parents.

They dropped onto the ground, without even a hint of pain on their faces. They just dropped and died in an instant. As the lightning gave way to rain, Filigree went down to his parents. He looked at them in their lifeless states, and looked at Discord. It was just like before.

"Discord…you win," Filigree then said. "You were right; and I was wrong. I guess that now I've placed my bets, I guess that bet is due. I don't know what to do from this point on, but I now realize that you really have been reformed. Thank you, Discord." Filigree then took his parents and floated up to the sky, as a pillar of light descended upon them. We all got to witness this sight, until a streak of black lightning struck Filigree and his parents and caused an explosion. The next thing I knew, the sky was clear, and it seemed as if nothing had happened, but there – Filigree was gone.

Discord was there, looking up at the sky. He looked pensive and quite grieved, but I didn't ask why. Soon enough words came out of his mouth. "Well, I guess that's that."

"I never thought he'd disappear, just like that."

"Me neither. All I know was that the prediction was true – he did erase Chronos. But he told me that I would be the one to erase everyone's memory and fulfill the Cleansing. I don't know, Twilight Sparkle; I'm not sure if it's worth it."

"I…I think you should do as he says," I replied. I knew that by forgetting him, everything will really be back to normal. It'd be a clean slate, and life goes on as if nothing had happened. Soon enough, Discord did perform the Cleansing that night – and all of the memories that I have now are locked away in a book that I wrote. It's a distant memory now, and I couldn't remember what Filigree looks like. I guess it's all in the back of my mind now that he's gone. Besides, I have more important priorities to put first. Still, I couldn't help but find myself on the roof each night, gazing at the stars. That's probably the only way I remember him. He did tell me that he would be there each night, gazing at the stars with me.

* * *

For about a week, I noticed Rainbow Dash was sitting on the bench by the fountain every afternoon, watching the sunset. I couldn't help but ask her why she'd been doing that.

"Rainbow Dash, why are you here on the bench alone? Don't you normally go someplace else?"

"Nah, I'm fine. I just like looking at the sunset."

"But I noticed you've been coming here every day for a week now. Is there something on your mind?"

"No, it's nothing. It was just a little snippet of advice from a friend."

"Who, Gilda?"

"Hoof no; you know how she is."

"It's Filigree, right?"

"Well," she then said, trying to hide her emotions as her cheeks turned red, "I guess you could say that. He told me to sit here every sunset because he told me he'd be here every time, trying to ruffle my hair. He said that one day, he might be able to ruffle my hair again. It made me wonder what that meant, so I came here to think about it."

"That's…interesting." I think I get what Filigree talked about then, but I didn't have the heart to tell her. I thought I'd leave that for her to figure out, so I simply shrugged. As it turned out, not everyone forgot about Filigree. Rarity still remembers his long, black mane. Fluttershy still remembers his imposing, intimidating figure. And even Discord remembers him, as he seeks out a ray of light that pierces a cloudy day. He says he remembers his death, but nopony knows about that except him, so I'll leave it at that.

Well, I don't know if Filigree is still out there, but I guess my friends and I will continue to remember him, in the back of our minds. He'll always be with us, though we may never be able to see him. I've learned a lot from him, honestly, and I never had the time to thank him. Oh well, that might happen sometime soon, but nopony knows…I guess this is where one story ends, and another begins.

_**Fin**_

* * *

_Well, I guess this is it. I'd like to thank everypony for supporting my fic, and for receiving it well! I could type "Thank you" on and on for pages on end, but it still could not fathom how grateful I am for your unyielding support. I'm currently thinking on writing another "episode" in the world of TFF, so stay tuned for a new fic coming out next week! This is Pen Charmer signing off, thanking everypony one last time: Thank you!_


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